Full Breakdown
Amazon Seeks Approval for Drone Delivery Service in Westborough, Massachusetts
By Drooid · · How we work
Proposed Program and Service Area
Amazon intends to launch a drone-based parcel delivery service from its Westborough distribution center later this year. The drones, each weighing about 80 pounds and measuring roughly 5 feet by 5 feet, would operate within a 7.5-mile radius that includes Shrewsbury, Northborough, and portions of Grafton, Worcester, Sutton and Southborough. This would be the first such program in New England.
Technical Specifications
The unmanned aircraft are designed to travel up to 74 mph. Amazon says they fly primarily at higher altitudes, producing a sound comparable to a low-speed window fan for about 30 seconds and typically not audible indoors. The system follows a pre-charted flight path and can adjust automatically if it detects an unregistered aircraft. Images captured by the drones are stored on encrypted drives, and there is no live camera feed.
Official Statements & Responses
Tareq Wafaie, Amazon’s manager of economic development policy, emphasized the safety design:
> “We have developed the system so that it flies automatically along a charted path with the ability to make adjustments as necessary,” — Tareq Wafaie, Amazon's manager of economic development policy
An Amazon representative also assured that the technology is “secure and responsible” and that a monitoring team oversees each delivery.
Community Concerns
John Gelcich, vice chair of the Westborough planning board, identified noise as his primary worry, noting that data provided by Amazon has not been experienced firsthand. Residents have also raised privacy and safety questions, prompting the planning board to request additional information before any changes to the site’s layout are approved.
Next Steps
Amazon must obtain approval from the Westborough planning board, which will consider the proposal at an upcoming community meeting. The company plans to hold that meeting in the coming weeks at a local hotel, after which the board will decide whether to permit the necessary site modifications for the drone program.
